I recently suffered from a bad bout of “Irritable Bowel Syndrome” and was advised by my doctor to switch to a plain bland diet. It basically meant giving up so many things that I love. An energising cup of Masala chai to wake me up in the morning, spicing up meals with mango pickle, dark chocolate any time of the day, the fruit of the season-the king of all fruits –my beloved mango, a glass of hot milk at bedtime.

My original problem was giving me so much heartache (read heartburn) that I readily agreed to forego the little loves of my life. Adhering to this spartan diet, I felt life slowly ebbing away from me. It is then that realization dawned that these are the things that I took for granted and only when I couldn’t have them, it struck me how they are an integral part of my life.

Also Read: Keep that perfect body in shape as you grow

Its only when something is taken away from you, do you understand its importance. For e.g. ( an extreme, self-experienced one) its only when you suffer from a neck muscle pull and are unable to even get up from the bed without asking for help that you realize the work that your neck does and bless it for helping you be up and about. The same is the case with any other organ in our body. The same thing also applies to other every day actions in our life that help us be who we are and define who we are.

The One thing To Remember

Yes big goals – promotion, increment, better job, bigger car, another house are and will remain important. But what about all the good things rather great things that are already going in your life?

Some of us cannot imagine our life without watching our daily soap, without finding out what our favourite characters on television are doing and what is happening in their lives. For others it could be anything, from reading the morning paper in bed with a hot cuppa, or the broad smiles and open arms of your kid/spouse welcoming you back home after a long hard day at work, a tete-atete with your best friend, listening to your favourite music/singer, watching your most loved sports stars in action while lounging on the sofa. 

I do not know which one of these is working for you right now. Maybe it is one of these or none of the above. Make a list of all the things in your daily life that complete you, make you happy and bring a smile on your face (Need not be limited to food, as was the case with me) and  post it in the comments section below.

In the second part of the series on holistic living, Vastu and spiritual guru Manoj Jain lays down few basic rules to design your kitchen. He emphasises how by following some simple steps one could make the kitchen the centre of positive energy.